Riffraff
by suzie2b
Summary: Tully is kidnapped by three Arab boys who intend to trade him for their father.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **Riffraff**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **Troy woke with a start. Daylight was starting to overtake the darkness. But it shouldn't be. He sat up and looked at his watch and realized that Tully should've woke him up a good two hours earlier to take over on sentry duty. Squinting into the dim light, Troy took a quick look around to find Moffitt and Hitch, who were both still asleep in their bedrolls. But there was no sign of Tully.**

 **Troy stood up and went out passed the jeeps. He walked the perimeter of the camp, looking for any sign of the private. Then he found what he had hoped he wouldn't. A machine gun lying in the sand with an army issue steel helmet next to it.**

 **##########################**

 **When Tully opened his eyes he quickly realized he was bound hand and foot. He rolled onto his back to take the pressure aching right shoulder. It was obvious he'd been laying there for quite a while. With his hands tied behind him he couldn't see his watch, but the sun was up and judging by its placement in the sky it had to be around 7am. He had a headache and his face hurt.**

 **Tully was trying to sit up when a pair of hands pulled him up into a sitting position. He looked up at an Arab boy, who said in English, "Good, you are finally awake. I was beginning to think Ahmad had hit you too hard."**

 **Tully said quietly, "Guess that explains the headache."**

" **I do apologize for that. But we did not think you would come with us willingly."**

 **Tully looked around slowly. He was sitting on the ground in the shade of an acacia tree where the dunes met sandstone.**

" **Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ismael.**

 **Tully looked up at him. "Why am I here?"**

" **I and my brothers Kareem and Ahmad came out here to find our father, who was wrongly accused of being a spy and taken by the Germans."**

" **Did you find him?"**

 **Ismael nodded. "Yes. He is being held in a stronghold about eight kilometers from here."**

 **Tully sighed. "Okay, you didn't answer the question the first time, so I'll ask again. Why am I here?"**

" **My brothers and I are going to trade you for our father."**

" **What? You have got to be kidding!"**

 **Ismael frowned. "I do not kid. You are one of the Rat Patrol, are you not?"**

 **Tully nodded. "Yeah, I suppose I am."**

" **There is a price on your head. We will offer you to the Germans in exchange for our father."**

 **Tully chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "You really think that'll work?"**

 **Ismael suddenly knelt down and gave his prisoner a worried look. "You don't think so?"**

" **All that's going to do is get me, you, and your brothers thrown in prison with your father."**

 **Ismael looked at Tully earnestly. "What would you suggest?"**

 **Tully's eyebrows went up in surprise. "Seriously?" Ismael nodded. "Well, untie me and we'll talk about it."**

 **##########################**

 **Troy had quickly awakened Moffitt and Hitch to tell them that Tully was missing. Tracks found nearby indicated that whoever had taken Tully had been on camels.**

 **Moffitt said, "There are three sets of tracks heading east. I'm going to check the charts and see what's out there."**

 **Hitch picked up Tully's helmet and the machine gun. "I'm surprised they could sneak up on Tully like this."**

 **Troy looked around at the desert. "None of us are infallible, Hitch. They were Arabs on camels. Unless they were wearing bells they wouldn't have made a sound." He looked down at the footprints in the sand. "There's no real sign of a struggle. They must've knocked him out."**

 **Troy and Hitch joined Moffitt where he had a chart on the hood of one of the jeeps. He circled a drawing of what looked like a castle and said, "Here … there's German stronghold thirty to forty kilometers from here."**

 **Troy shook his head. "Why would they take Tully there?"**

" **Probably for the bounty. There were only three of them. Tully was alone on sentry duty and that made him an easier target then if they'd tried to take any of us while we were sleeping in a group."**

 **Hitch looked at the sergeants. "We** _ **are**_ **going after him, aren't we?"**

 **Troy nodded. "Yep. Let's pack up and head east. We'll follow the tracks left by those camels as far as we can."**

 **##########################**

 **Tully took his jacket off and set it behind him as he sat on an exposed root of the acacia tree. Ismael sat down next to him and handed him a cup. "Drink this. It will help get rid of your headache."**

 **Tully took the cup. "Thanks. My name's Tully, by the way." He carefully touched the rough bandage under his right eye. "What did he hit me with … a sledgehammer?"**

" **Again, I am sorry. Please … drink the tea and tell me of your suggestion."**

 **Tully sipped the warm liquid and hoped it didn't show on his face how awful it tasted. "How old are you, Ismael?"**

" **I am seventeen."**

 **Tully looked at the other two boys. "How old are your brothers?"**

 **Ismael replied, "Kareem is sixteen and Ahmad is fifteen."**

 **Tully sighed. "Okay. What can you tell me about this stronghold where your father is being held?"**

 **Ismael replied, "It is very big with very high walls all around."**

 **Tully smiled. "That's not much to go on. What about a way in? Is there just one gate?"**

" **There is one large gate that the Germans drive in and out of. Then there's a second, smaller one that only people use."**

" **Guards?"**

 **Ismael looked at his brother. "Kareem, when you scouted did you see guards?"**

" **I saw two men at the large gate, but only during the day when it was left open. I saw no one at the smaller one. There are guards on the walls all the time."**

 **Tully nodded thoughtfully. "Okay, what kind of weapons do you have?"**

 **The three Arab boys showed him their scimitars and daggers. Kids, swords and knives against German firepower. Their odds were not good. All Tully could do was hope Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch could find him before he had to actually carry out whatever plan he could formulate alone.**

" **What's your father's name?"**

 **Ismael replied, "Our father is known as Tariq."**

 **Tully asked, "How long ago was he taken?"**

" **Five days ago."**

 **Tully gulped down the last of the tea. "We'd better head for that stronghold now. I'd like to see what I'm up against."**

 **##########################**

 **Luckily there had been little to no wind and the tracks led them to where the Arabs had camped with Tully. There were footprints and camel tracks, a burned out fire, but nothing else that proved without a doubt Tully had been there.**

 **Hitch spotted something out of place and picked it up. Excitedly he said, "Hey, sarge! It's Tully's jacket!"**

 **Troy smiled. "Smart. He left us a sign that he was here."**

 **Moffitt nodded as he pointed. "And look … tracks still heading east. They may already be at that stronghold."**

" **Let's hope not. Okay, let's shake it!"**

 **They drove with gas pedals to the floor until they were less than two kilometers from the German stronghold. They stopped and climbed a hill where Troy and Moffitt could search the area with binoculars.**

 **After a minute of searching, Troy asked, "Any sign of them?"**

 **Moffitt shook his head slightly. "Nothing."**

 **Then Hitch said, "Sarge, take a look over there."**

 **Both Troy and Moffitt turned and saw three camels probably a kilometer from where they were standing.**

 **Hitch asked worriedly, hoping that his friend hadn't already been handed over to the Germans. "Any sign of Tully?"**

 **Troy said, "Yeah, on the hill above the camels. He's with three Arabs."**

 **Moffitt said, "At least they haven't given him to the Germans yet."**

" **Okay, let's go get him."**

 **##########################**

 **Tully heard the jeeps before his young Arab friends did. When he turned, he saw Troy manning the 50 caliber with Hitch driving and Moffitt following in the other jeep. Tully started down the hill to meet them while the boys waited.**

 **Troy couldn't hide his look of concerned confusion. "You all right, Tully?"**

" **Yeah, I'm good."**

 **Moffitt got out of the jeep taking in his driver's bandaged face and black eye. "I must admit I've seen you in worse shape." He reached for a med kit. "Let me have a look at you."**

 **Ismael, Kareem, and Ahmad started down the hill and Troy again pointed the 50 at them. "Hold it right there!"**

 **Tully walked over to where Moffitt waited and said, "It's okay, sarge. I'm sorta helping them."**

 **Troy frowned as he realized they were just kids. "Are they the ones that kidnapped you?"**

 **As Moffitt removed the makeshift bandage, Tully replied, "Yes, they are."**

" **And you're 'sorta helping them'?" Troy lowered the weapon. "Care to explain?"**

 **Tully winced as Moffitt cleaned the wound. "Well, ya see … they took me thinking they could trade me to the Germans to get their father back."**

 **Troy's frown deepened. "Why do the Germans have their father?"**

 **Ismael, Kareem, and Ahmad walked the rest of the way down the hill as Ismael said, "The Germans have accused him of being a spy … which is totally untrue. There is a price on the heads of the four of you. But we only wanted to trade one man for one man. We do not want the money … only our father. However, Tully told us our plan would not work."**

 **Tully shrugged. "Meet Ismael, Kareem, and Ahmad. I told them I'd help get their father out if they let me go."**

 **Moffitt finished fixing up Tully and said, "So, what do you intend to do?"**

 **Tully started, "Well…" Then stopped and looked at Troy.**

 **The sergeant smiled. "You agreed to help them, Tully. You take point on this one."**

" **Well, I was thinking we'd wait until dark and go in through the back." Tully hesitated, then continued, "But now that you all are here, I've got a different idea." He went to his jeep and rummaged around until he came out with what he was looking for. "I'm going to get myself captured."**

 **Moffitt frowned. "That's your idea?"**

 **Tully held up a small device. "This is a tracking device I … a …** _ **acquired**_ **when we resupplied in Benghazi last time. I can hide this on me and let the Germans capture me. They'll lock me up and you can come in to get me and their father."**

 **Ismael asked, "How does this tracking device work?"**

" **Once it's turned on it'll send out a signal that can be followed with this." Tully pulled a small metal box with lights and dials on it out of the jeep. "I'll hide the tracker on me and turn it on once they lock me up."**

 **Moffitt questioned, "What if they don't lock you up in the same area as their father?"**

" **I have no way of knowing if they will or not. I'll just have to play it by ear if that happens."**

 **Hitch said, "Are you sure you want to go in alone?"**

 **Tully nodded. "It'll be more believable. With the black eye and cut that Ahmad gave me, I can convince them that the jeep's been wrecked and I'm on my own."**

 **Troy smiled slightly. "Sounds crazy enough to work. When do you want to get started?"**

" **As soon as I check this tracking device to verify that it really does work, then I'll put it in my boot and be on my way."**

 **Tully was spotted by the sentries on the wall as he stagger towards the stronghold. He had removed the bandage from under his eye and scratched at the cut just enough to make it bleed some.**

 **From the hilltop Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and the three Arab boys watched as the gate opened and two halftracks headed for Tully. With his hands in the air he was quickly searched before being pushed into one of the halftracks and taken into the stronghold.**

 **As they watched the gate close, Troy said, "Okay, all we can do now is wait for dark and his signal, then we'll go in through the back."**

 **##########################**

 **Tully was marched into the commander's office where he stood before the desk of Colonel Otto. He looked up from his work at the young American private and asked one of the soldiers who he was. "Was haben sie zu mir gebracht?"**

" **Er war allein zu sehen kommen in unsere Richtung, Oberst. Wir denken, er kann einer der Ratte patrouillieren."**

 **The colonel dismissed one of the soldiers to go stand guard outside the office door while the other stayed inside. Colonel Otto leaned back in his chair and smiled. "So, you are one of the infamous Rat Patrol. What are you doing here? Where are your comrades?"**

 **Tully said quietly, "Pettigrew, Tully. Private First Class. 15752351."**

 **The colonel stood and went to a small table. "Come now, private. Surely you can tell me how you came by your injuries." He poured a glass of water and walked around to the front of the desk, where he handed the glass to Tully. "You've been wandering in the desert. You must be thirsty. Take the water." Tully looked at the glass and cautiously took it with a shaky hand. As he drank, Colonel Otto said to his guard, "Bringen Sie einen Stuhl." A chair was brought over. "Sit, rest. I only have a few questions."**

 **As the colonel walked back to his own chair, Tully set the now empty glass on the desk and sat down. "There's not much to say. My jeep was wrecked during a firefight and my sergeant is dead."**

" **So you just began to wander the desert? Where are the other two? They should have come to your rescue, don't you think?"**

 **Tully shrugged. "We got separated during the fight. I ran for cover after the jeep went over. Haven't seen 'em since. I came across your place here and decided this might be better than dying in the desert."**

 **Colonel Otto smiled. "Yes, dying of thirst is very unpleasant. You are lucky to have found us." He looked at the guard. "Nehmen Sie ihn zu medizinischen und haben einen Arzt kümmern. Dann sperren." The colonel looked back at Tully. "You will be taken to our medical department to have your injuries taken care of before you are imprisoned. We will talk again later after you've had a chance to rest."**

 **A doctor cleaned and put two butterfly bandages on the cut under Tully's eye. Then insisted on taking x-rays to be sure his eye socket wasn't fractured.**

 **Several hours later Tully was locked in a cell. After the guards left, he looked out the small barred window in the door and called quietly, "Tariq! Are you here?" There was no answer. "Tariq! If you can hear me, answer!"**

 **A low voice came back, "Who are you and how do you know me?"**

" **It's a long story, but I'm here on behalf of your sons, Ismael, Kareem, and Ahmad."**

" **Foolish boys. They should not have come. You are foolish as well if you think you can get me out of here."**

 **Tully said, "I didn't come alone. I have friends outside waiting to help."**

 **##########################**

 **Moffitt stared at the dials and lights on the receiver. "It's been quite a while since they took Tully inside. I hope we get a signal soon."**

 **Hitch was loading magazines for the machine guns. "I hope the German's didn't find that tracking device Tully has on him."**

 **Ismael watched the three men as they prepared for the mission. "What are we to do when we get inside?"**

 **Troy looked at the three boys. "You're staying put right here and wait."**

 **Kareem said, "He is** _ **our**_ **father! We should be included in his rescue!"**

 **Ahmad said, "We can fight!"**

 **Troy chose he words carefully. "I'm sure you are very good fighters. But six is just too many to go in on a rescue like this. Moffitt, Hitch, and I … we know how the Germans do things. We'll be able to go in, get your father and Tully, and come right back for you."**

 **Ismael searched the sergeant's face for the truth of what he said. Then he nodded. "All right, we will wait here."**

" **What I would like you to do is unload your gear off those camels and stow it in the jeeps. We'll probably have to leave in a hurry and the camels won't be fast enough to get you clear of the area if the Germans decide to follow."**

 **Ahmad said angrily, "First he will not let us fight for our father! Now he wants us to leave our camels behind!"**

 **Ismael frowned at his brother. "Hold your tongue, Ahmad! If this is how we get father back, then we will follow the sergeant's instruction."**

 **It was dusk when the receiver's lights suddenly came on followed by a soft beep. Moffitt picked it up and carefully turned the dials until he got the effect he was looking for. He plugged in the headphones from the one of their jeep's radio and listened to the beeping. "I believe it's time to go."**

 **Hitch stood up and handed a loaded magazine to both Troy and Moffitt. "Never hurts to have a spare."**

 **Ismael said, "Good luck and go with Allah."**

 **##########################**

 **They had remained quiet for some time. Tully looked at his watch and decided it was time to turn the tracking device on. He replaced it in his boot as he heard Tariq say, "Your friends will never be able to find us here. They too will be captured."**

 **Tully said, "You don't know my friends."**

 **About an hour and a half later two guards entered and walked down the hallway to Tariq's cell. Tully watched as the older man was taken out and led back the way the guards had come from. Knowing he only had seconds to do something, he grabbed the only thing in the cell other than the cot.**

 **Tully smashed the wooden stool against the door. The noise got the guards attention. When one of them peered in through the window and didn't see the prisoner anywhere, he looked at his partner and said, "Ich will ihn nicht sehen."**

 **The other guard tossed a set of keys to him. "Er konnte nicht entgangen. Sie hatten eine bessere Kontrolle."**

 **Tully had ducked down next to the door so the guard wouldn't see him. Then he heard the guards speak to each other and the jangle of keys. A moment later the door started to open. As the guard took a cautious step inside, Tully rushed him and pushed him into the hallway. In the ensuing struggle, he managed to get the tracking device into Tariq's hands without the guards noticing. Tully glanced at him, and Tariq nodded his understanding. Then Tully's world went black.**

 **While the guards dragged the unconscious private back into the cell, Tariq hid the device in his robes.**

 **When Tully woke up a few minutes later, he slowly got to his feet. He put his hand on the back of his pounding head and staggered to the cot to sit down. Tully let out a sigh as he saw blood on his hand. Not caring if his blood got on the pillow he settled down to rest, hoping that things would work out.**

 **##########################**

 **By the time Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch made their way to the back entrance of the stronghold it was dark. It was a larger, heavier door than they had expected from the description they'd been given by Kareem. There was no lock on the outside. That meant there would probably be at least one guard on the inside.**

 **Troy signaled Moffitt and Hitch to stay out of sight, then he knocked hard on the door. An opening appeared, the beam of a flashlight shone out and a voice said, "Wer ist dort?"**

 **In one quick move, Troy hammered the butt of his machine gun through the opening and into the guard's face. After a quick check, Moffitt reached one arm in and slid the bar back to open the door.**

 **After getting the guard's body out of sight, Troy and Hitch followed Moffitt's lead as he listened to the tones through the headphones and kept an eye on the lights. There were few guards inside the stronghold. Apparently the German's felt mistakenly confident that the guards on the walls were all that was needed to keep the riffraff out.**

 **Moffitt took them in the direction the receiver led them. He skirted open areas and stayed in the shadows as much as possible, stopping twice to let soldiers pass without notice. Finally, they arrived outside headquarters.**

 **Moffitt, Troy, and Hitch circled the building trying to find a way in that didn't include using the front door. It was buttoned up tight. Then Hitch spotted an open window on the second floor and pointed it out to Troy. The sergeant nodded and the three of them made their way up. Starting on the low roof of a shed, they were able to get onto the roof that would lead them to the open window.**

 **Troy peeked inside and discovered an office with a captain sitting at a desk with his back to the window. Silently, the sergeant entered and quickly rendered the captain unconscious.**

 **While Hitch tied and gagged the officer, Troy and Moffitt checked the hallway. Moffitt indicated that they would need to go left. Coming in through that second story window had put them very close to their target. However, the fact that Tully wasn't in a cell had them worried.**

 **Moffitt led them down the hall until the receiver told him they were outside the place where Tully should be. Inside they could hear someone asking questions and each time it went unanswered there was the sound of hard slap. Moffitt set the receiver and headphones aside and readied himself to enter the room with Troy and Hitch.**

 **On the count of three Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch burst into the room and confronted Colonel Otto and one of his lieutenants, who was doing the beating with gloved hands. In a chair next to the desk the colonel stood behind was an Arab man. There was no sign of Tully.**

 **Colonel Otto glared angrily at them. "What is the meaning of this?"**

 **Troy looked at Moffitt and Hitch. "Tie them up and gag them." As that was being done, he went to the beaten man. "Are you Tariq?"**

 **As he nodded slowly, Colonel Otto said, "This man is being interrogated as a spy! You cannot…"**

 **He was silenced when Moffitt stuffed his mouth with a gag. "I think your line of questioning is done."**

 **Troy knelt in front of the wounded man. "Can you tell me where Tully is?"**

 **Tariq looked a bit confused. "Tully?"**

 **Troy quickly searched and found the tracking device concealed in his robes. "The guy who gave you this. Do you know where he is?"**

 **A bit shakily Tariq started to stand. "Yes, I know where he is. I can take you…"**

 **Troy pressed him back down. "No, just tell me how to get there. We'll take care of the rest." After Tariq explained where the cells were and that there were two guards, Troy switched off the tracking device and handed it to Moffitt. "Take Tariq and head back to the jeeps. Hitch and I will get Tully and meet you there."**

 **Moffitt nodded and helped Tariq to his feet. "We've been lucky so far so be careful."**

 **##########################**

 **Troy led the way as he and Hitch followed Tariq's instructions. The building was becoming quieter as the evening wore on and their luck continued to hold.**

 **They quickly went down two flights of stairs and could hear German voices as they approached a corner at the bottom. Carefully peeking around the corner, Troy spotted the two guards that Tariq had mentioned.**

 **The easiest thing to do would be to go in shooting. However, that would bring unwanted attention. So Troy and Hitch did what they always did in these situations and stepped out into plain view with their guns pointed at the guards. One of them reached for his gun, but Troy rushed forward and hit him with the butt of the machine gun. The other guard looked from Troy to Hitch, who shrugged before he swung his gun and connected with his face.**

 **Troy found keys on one of the guards. "Wait here. I'll get Tully."**

 **Hitch nodded and stationed himself where he could watch the stairs.**

 **Troy walked down the row of cells until he found the one Tully was in. He quietly called the private's name as he unlocked the door and went inside. Troy looked at Tully's pale face and gave his shoulder a shake. "Tully…" No response. "Tully!"**

 **Finally, groggily, Tully opened his eyes and peered up at the sergeant. It took several seconds before it registered who he was looking at. "Sarge?"**

" **Yeah, you okay?" Tully started to sit up with a grimace and Troy saw the blood on the pillow. There was no time to check the private's head wound. Troy got Tully to his feet. "Can you walk?" He waited for a slow nod, then said, "Let's get out of here then."**

 **Tully stopped the sergeant. "Wait. Did you find Tariq?"**

 **Troy nodded. "Moffitt's on his way back to the jeeps with him now."**

 **When they met Hitch, he didn't like how Tully looked. "Hey, Tully. You all right?"**

" **Just a headache. I'm good to go."**

 **Troy started up the stairs with Tully behind him and Hitch bringing up the rear. Things were still quiet, which meant none of the German's they'd incapacitated were on the loose yet.**

 **Once outside the building, Troy and Hitch made their way to the back door they had come in through with Tully. There was no guard, so no one had yet come to replace the one they'd hidden in a dark corner. Tully stopped and leaned on the wall as Troy opened the door.**

 **Hitch whispered, "How're you doin', Tully?"**

 **He took a deep breath and straightened up. "A little dizzy, but good enough to get out of here."**

 **Troy grabbed Tully by the arm. "Okay, let's go. Hitch, close and latch the door from the outside. The longer it takes them to figure out our escape route the better."**

 **Just as Hitch slid the lock into place the alarms went off. Search lights went on inside the stronghold as they began to run. Lights on the walls blinked to life and began to search for the escaped prisoners and their benefactors.**

 **Troy, Hitch, and Tully made it to the cover of some trees before the search lights revealed them. Tully was leaning heavily on a tree, looking like he was about to pass out.**

 **Hitch looked at his friend, and even in the dark, he could see Tully wasn't doing well. "We're almost to the jeeps, Tully. Hang in there just a bit longer."**

 **Tully nodded. "I'm good."**

 **Troy whispered, "Yeah, you will be as soon as we get out of here. Those lights can't reach us this far out. Let's get moving."**

 **Hitch put Tully's arm around his shoulders and he put one around Tully's waist to help support him as they hurried to the jeeps.**

 **##########################**

 **Tully didn't remember getting to the jeeps or the wild ride back into the desert. When he opened his eyes he was laying in the shade of a small, but dense grove of trees at a waterhole. He started to sit up and a pair of hands helped him to lean against a tree. Tully turned his head and saw Ismael next to him.**

 **The teenager smiled. "Glad you are awake. We were getting worried."**

 **Tully put his hand on the back of his head and felt the thick bandage that had been secured with an elastic bandage. "How's your father?"**

" **Thanks to you, he will be fine."**

 **Tully smiled slightly. "I didn't do it alone, you know."**

 **Ismael nodded. "I have already thanked your friends. But it was your plan that brought our father back to us."**

 **Moffitt walked up with a smile. "About time you woke up. How's your head?"**

 **Tully looked at the sergeant as he knelt down. "Throbs some. Is there any aspirin?"**

 **Moffitt handed a cup of dark liquid to the private. He could tell by the smell what it was and Ismael said, "I know it doesn't taste good, but it does help."**

" **Yeah, I have to admit it helped last time."**

 **Moffitt questioned, "Last time?"**

 **Tully smiled as he pointed to his face. "Ahmad got a little carried away when they were kidnapping me. Woke up with a headache then too."**

 **Moffitt put two aspirin in Tully's hand. "I watched Ismael make that. It's got some interesting ingredients, but just in case, take those as well."**

" **Thanks."**

" **We'll be here for another hour or so. Hitch is cooking up something to eat. Just rest."**

 **Ismael followed Moffitt back to the group. Tully looked around. Hitch was putting together a meal, Moffitt grabbed a machine gun and replaced Troy on watch. Tariq was bruised and battered, but obviously happy to be back with his sons. Tully took the aspirin and finished the tea. He set the cup aside before letting his eyes slip closed.**

 **He woke up when he heard is name. Troy eyed him critically as he knelt in front of him. "How's it going?"**

 **Tully replied, "It's goin', sarge. That tea and the aspirin has really helped."**

" **Good. Moffitt figures you have a concussion." Troy put a plate of scrambled eggs in Tully's hands. "Eating something might help too." He moved to sit beside the private. "You know, Tully, you took a big chance helping those kids. They could've just as easily turned you over to the Germans once you got inside with them."**

 **Tully swallowed a mouthful of eggs. "Yeah, but ya know … I don't think they really wanted to. They happened across our camp and made a plan when they realized who we are. Can't blame 'em for wanting their father back."**

 **Troy looked at the boys with their father. "No, can't blame them at all." He smiled. "So you went with them and came up with a plan."**

" **Not really. I hadn't got passed the 'goin' in after dark' part when you, Moffitt, and Hitch showed up. That's what I was really counting on."**

" **Those camels left a good trail for us to follow." Troy looked at the private seriously. "You did a good job, Tully. I'm glad I let you take point on this."**

 **Tully smiled. "Thanks for trusting me, sarge. I've learned a lot from you and Moffitt." He looked at Troy. "Do you think Tariq really is a spy? He seemed to know what the tracking device was when I gave it to him."**

" **We'll never know. If he is a spy, his family obviously doesn't know and it wouldn't be in his best interest to tell us."**

" **Yeah, I guess you're right."**

" **Well, eat up now. As soon as you're done we'll head for Ramla."**

" **Ramla?"**

 **Troy stood up. "Yep. That's where Tariq and his boys are from. I'm sure there's a very worried wife and mother waiting for them. Plus, there's a field hospital near there so we can get your head checked out."**

 **Tully watched Troy walk away and put another forkful of eggs in his mouth. He felt a sense of pride after what the sergeant had said to him. He knew he'd never be officer material and doubted he'd ever make sergeant with his temper and attitude, but it made him feel good that he was a good soldier and others trusted him.**


End file.
